Page 27 - Star Wars Insider #182

STORIES FOR YOUNGLINGS

1984’s Star Wars Adventures in
ABC, is “B is for Bantha,” which
turns out to be a new one on
Glass. “I had no idea this existed,”
she exclaims gleefully. “‘If I had
a bantha, I’d name it Samantha’
That’s genius!”
The existence of Samantha
the Bantha highlights the other
important aspect of Star Wars kid’s

fiction. “You need to make it fun,”
Ben Acker explains. “With Join the
Resistance, that’s a no-brainer. I
mean, it’s Star Wars. If it’s not fun,
what am I even doing?”
According to Tom Angleberger,
author of the recently published
The Mighty Chewbacca in the
Forest of Fear!, the formula for

children’s fiction is simple. “Kids
just want a great story,” he says.
“They want to know what happens
next and, when it happens, they
expect it to be awesome. Honestly,
I can’t see why adults don’t
demand exactly the same.”
So, are adults missing out if
they dismiss junior books as kid’s
stuff? “Yes,” says Cecil Castellucci.
“I always try to remind adults that
each of these books is one bath.
That’s it. Take one bath and you’ve
got yourself an extra bit of Star
Wars fl avor.”
Michael Siglain agrees. “Star
Wars is for the 12-year-old in
all of us. Don’t shy away from
11
something just because it’s for
a younger audience. The format
may be for kids, but a good story like to read until they started my
is a good story.” books,” says Tom Huddleston.
What of the kids themselves? “I’d love to take credit for that,
I know from my own personal but ... it’s Star Wars! A kid sees a
experience that one of the most book with their favorite Star Wars

fulfilling aspects of writing these character on the front and they
books is meeting young Star Wars have a reason to pick it up.”
fans at author events and during And, just as we pored over
school workshops. the Star Wars Storybook, some
“Reading I Am A Hero to of these young readers will go
young children has been just as on to be the Star Wars writers of
enjoyable as working on the book tomorrow. “The thought of that
itself,” says Eren Unten, illustrator feels incredible,” says Castellucci.
of Christopher Nicholas’ Little “Whenever a kid says to me, ‘I
Golden Book, published in 2017. want to be a writer,’ I always shake

“The first time I read it to a group their hand and say, ‘I can’t wait to
of children, they clapped every read your book.’ It’s great for kids
time I turned the page.” to know that they can play in the
“I hear about kids that didn’t world that has inspired them.”

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